• Benin says a coup attempt was foiled, crediting an army that “refused to betray its oath.”

• Cotonou remains calm, but residents stay cautious as traffic remains light.

• The fate of the alleged coup plotters remains unclear.

Benin Republic's Interior Minister Alassane Seidou stated around midday on Sunday, December 7, that the coup attempt reported earlier in the morning had been neutralised. “The Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, faithful to their oath, upheld the republican order. Their response allowed the situation to remain under control and defeated the operation. The government, therefore, invites the population to resume their normal activities,” Seidou said on the airwaves of the national broadcaster ORTB, which has resumed transmission.

Earlier in the morning, individuals in military uniforms appeared on a state-owned television, claiming that President Patrice Talon—now completing his second term and, consistent with his pledge, not seeking a third—had been removed from office. They announced that a lieutenant colonel named Tigri Pascal was assuming leadership of a “committee for military refoundation.”

Multiple sources near the area report that signs of clashes were still perceivable into the late morning around the state broadcaster’s headquarters. A military helicopter continued to fly over the city, although the gunfire heard earlier had stopped. Amid the coup announcement, a Wikipedia page was created for Lieutenant Colonel Tigri, the officer cited in the video announcing the takeover. A Defence Ministry webpage referenced by Google had indicated that he was reassigned from a command post in early 2025, although that information is no longer accessible.

The government’s announcement sheds light on one significant uncertainty in the sequence of events, though a complete assessment is still expected. The next presidential election is scheduled for April 12, 2026, in what had been considered a stable political environment, partly due to Talon’s decision not to seek re-election and his strong approval ratings among the population.

Idriss Linge